I have had this Hyperdrive since the Kickstarter campaign. Basically, I think it's a good product, it does what it's supposed to do. Unfortunately, there is something wrong with the sound output. I recently got a new amplifier at my workplace: the NAD d3045, as an upgrade to the 5.1 Logitech kit. When the NAD receives the audio data via SPDIF (whether coax or optical), the sound is choppy and partially distorted. When I feed the NAD from my other workstation via optical SPDIF, everything is fine. So it is clearly the firmware or worse, the sound hardware of the Hyperdrive. NAD has confirmed this to me. Since 3.1.22, Hyperdrive has not responded to my support ticket. There is also no firmware download on their site.

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If you're interested, here's a teardown (of the 12in1, but the difference to the 18in1 isn't huge). 
https://vmallet.com/2020/06/teardown-hyperdrive-gen2-usb-c-hub-by-hyper/
The sound chip used is certainly the same (Realtek ALC4042); it can do everything, including optical OUT and is connected via USB 2.0. 
I assume you have already tried unplugging everything from the Hyperdrive and only connected your amplifier?
To rule out the possibility of several data streams getting in each other's way.

On your amplifier you also have a USB-B port "computer".
Instead of using Toslink, you could connect your amplifier via USB 2.0. If the amplifier is no further away than 5 metres (max. USB 2.0 distance). Then the data also goes digitally to the destination. It comes to the same thing. But you bypass the sound chip in the Hyperdrive and use the sound chip in the amplifier instead. For the counter test, connect the amplifier directly to the notebook via USB.

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Hoi - I use this part on the Mac (cascade behind an itec) and the optical output SPDIF, I have a pair of Edifier s3k on it. No issues, no problems, everything as it should be. Firmware: Not at all, I've already checked, you can't effectively flash or do anything with these docks.
So if your SPDIF cable isn't damaged (you've verified that) then it's the dock or the Hüpperdrive.
I would have it replaced via RMA: https://helpcenter.digitec.ch/hc/de or initiate RMA in the customer portal...
LG

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